Refrigerator door structure



April 30, 1940.

F. D. PELTIER I 2, 8

REFRIGERATOR noon STRUCTURE Filed May 2, 193a FRANK 0.. Paula: 5

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 30, 1940 I UNITED STATES 2,198,838 REFRIGERATORDOOR STRUCTURE Frank D. Peltier, Indianapolis, Ind., assig'nor, by

mesne assignments, to Company, Philadelphia,

Delaware Philco .Refrigerator Pas a corporation of Application Maya1938, Serial No. 205,467 .3 Claims. (01. 20--35) This invention relatesto improvements in the structure of refrigerators, and more particularlyto the structure of a closure or door for refrigerators of domestictype.

5 An object of the invention is to provide an improved refrigerator doorof a so-called flat. type,

no part of which projectswithin the refrigeratorv chamber, the doorbeing of metallic sheet con? struction wherein the sheets are enameledor otherwise treated to give a pleasing appearance to the finished dooras well as to facilitate surface cleaning thereof, and outer facingsheets orpanels and heat-insulating material therebetween, the sheetsbeing assembled together in an improved manner, through insulatinggaskets arranged to preclude conductive heat-transfer between thesheets.

Another object is found in the provision in a refrigeratordoorconstruction as above indicated,

) of heat-insulating gaskets which serve to airseal the refrigerator atthe door opening upon closure of the door, the gaskets further beingassembled to the'door in a manner to provide thereby, heat-insulatingspacing of the door sheets.

A further object is to provide an improved form of sealing gasket forrefrigerator doors of the type noted, the gasket being comprised of aresilient, hollowed bead structure engageable with the cabinet door jamb'upon closure of the door, and a resilient shank portion adapted forassembly engagement with spaced flanges on the inner panels of the door,the shank serving in cooperation with securing elements, to connect theinner panels in the assembly of the door.

Other objects and advantages providedby the improved door constructionwill appear readily from the following description and from theaccompanying drawing, in which:.

Fig.- 1. is a fragmentary, transverse section of a refrigeratorstructure embodying the features of the invention; Fig. 2 is a reducedplan view of a refrigerator door constructed according to the presentinvention, the view thereof being directed toward the inner side of thedoor; Fig. 3 is a plan .view of the door similar to that of Fig. 2, butthe view thereof in this instance beingdirected toward the outer side ofthe inner sheets ,of the door whereby to illustrate the manner ofconnecting the inner sheets by the gasket and securing elements; Fig. 4is an enlarged, fragmentary transverse section of the door, as viewedfrom line 4-4 in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectionthereof, as viewed from line 5-5 in Fig. 3..

the door comprising inner Referring to the drawing by suitable referencecharacters, there'is shown a portion of a refrigerator cabinet, thecabinet structure including inner sheathing plates l0 and outer platesII wliichenclose suitable insulating material It. 5 The plates areconnected at the cabinet opening l3 which gives access to the cabinetchamber 54, by breaker strips l5 which may be of heatinsulatingmaterial. The cabinet is provided at the door opening l3, with a door orclosure struco ture l6 suitably hinged thereto (not shown), the doorbeing of the so-called flat type and comprised of an outer facesheathing or panel I! of metallic sheet material, an inner facesheathing or panel I8 and a panel strip l9 around the inner edge portionof the door, the latter panels being formed from suitable sheetmaterial. All of the panels may be enameled or similarly treated for thesake of appearance and also to facilitate surface cleaning thereof. Itis to be 3 notedthat no part of the door projectswithin the cabinetopening I 3, while the inner panel 13 is alone directly exposed to thechamber 14.

In the construction and assembly of the door, the peripheral endportion'20 of outer sheathing I1 is inturned as shown in Figs. 1 and 4,and further the marginal edge of the inturned portion is formed toprovide a flange 2! which. is directed inwardly of the door structure.The

panel strip I9 is arranged so that its outer marginal portion 22overlies in parallel adjacence, the flange 2!! The edge of marginalportion 22 is formed to, provide a flange 23 directed toward the flange2|. Seated between the flange Zl and marginal portion 22 is a flangedbase 24 of 5 a heat-insulating gasket 25 which may be formed fromflexible rubber or other similar material. The gasket base 24 servestomaintain the described spacing of the panel strip margin 22 from theouter sheathing plate flange 2|, in the assembly connection of these eements effected preferably by screws'26. Extendingfrom the gasket base24 and formed integrally therewith, is a head 21 which overlapstheflanged edge 23 of facing strip the surface of the strip marginalportion 22. The gasket preferably is of one-piece construction,extending peripherally about the door as shown in Fig. 2, the curvedhead 27 of which overlies the heads 28 of the panel fastening screws 26so as to, conceal them. The gasket base 24 interposed between the flange2!. of sheathing I! and the marginal portion 22 of strip l9 serves tomaintain the spacing of these portions, to preclude heat-conductiontherebel9 and .is curved'inwardly over 5 tween. The-only metallic,heat-conductive con-' tact of the flange 2| and marginal portion 22 isthrough the assembly screws, but the heat-conductive capacity thereofissmall and hence for practical purposes, negligible. 3 It is to benoted that by reason. of the engagement of the flanged portion.of gasketbase 24 with the flange 23 on the edge of marginal portion, 22, thegasket is' effectively retained in assembly with the door structure.

The inner margin of the strip I9 is formed to provide a flanged edge 3|which is turned inwardly of thedoor assembly, The inner panel|8 isprovided with a similarly inturned flange 32 along the margin 33thereof, the flange being of angulate formproviding a surface 344 ofbevel aspect, for a purpose later appearing. In the assembly relation ofthe inner panels I8 and l9,

the respective flanges 3| and 32 are spaced as shown in Fig. 4, andcooperate in forming a recess for the reception of a shank portion 35 ofa resilient gasket 36'formed of rubber or other suitable heat-insulatingmaterial. It will be noted (Fig. 5) that the freeends 31 of the flanges3| and 32 are flared in-the direction shown, this for a purpose whichwill later appear.

Formed as an integralpart of the sh'ank 35 is a resilient bead structure38 which comprises a hollow, substantially cylindrical portion 39 and ahollow, substantially rectangular portion 40 projecting laterally of theportion 39 and upper panel flanges 3| and 32 are provided withregisterfurther by reason of the flared ends 31 of the ing apertures. 42in each of which is seated a flanged washer '43 formed of a suitableheatinsulating material, as rubber. A bolt 4| is projected' through the'washers and a bolt-receiving aperture in the gasket shank 35, the bolthead 45 engaging one ofthe washers while the threaded end 46 of the boltwhich projects beyond the opposite washer, is provided with a securingnut 41 and washer 48, It is preferred to form the gasket shank 35 in amanner to provide hollowed portions or closed chambers 49 of anydesired.

section, as substantially rectangular in the present example, thechambers preferably extending throughout the length of the gasket. Thesechambers serve to increase the resiliency and compressibility of theshank, so that in-the assembly of the panels l8 and IS the shankdisposed between the panel flanges 3| and 32 may be compressed to aconsiderable de ee. and

flanges'3l and 32, the end 50 of the gasket shank 35 will becomeoutwardlyflared as the shank is H compressed between the-flanges; Thisserves in cooperation with thepanel securing bolts 4|,to retain thegasketin assembly with the door.

' The gasket shank 35 and washers 43 being of a heat-insulatingmateriaLserve to prevent heatconduction between the inner panels Wandl9, since by. reason thereof there. is no contact be tween the flanges3| and 32, nor between the flanges and the securing bolts II, the latterby pears in Fig. 4. Moreover, the gasket a plurality of chamberstherein,

bead portion engaging one -the margin of one of curing means extendingthrough said flanges ant reason of the flanged washers 33 as clearlyapshank 35 being of resilient construction and interposed'between-thepanel flanges 3| and 32, serves to accommodate or absorb slightirregularities in the size or shape of the panel l8 and/or. as may occurin the manufacture thereof.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the. gasket beads 39 and 40 are positioned toengage and overlap the margin of the cabinet door opening and. the

breaker strips l5 upon closure of the door, the.

resiliency of the beads by reason of their chamberedconstruction,permitting compression thereof between the cabinet and door to eifect apositive air-seal of the with the insulated washers 43 at each bolt 4|,

serve effectively to heat-insulate the inner panel l8 which is directlyexposed to the refrigerator chamber M, from the panel strip l9, and fromthe outer panel I! through the insulating gasket From the foregoing, itwill appear that the door panels l1, l8 and I9 are assembled in a mannerto prevent heat-conduction between them, thus effecting a'heatinsulateddoor structure, while the gasket 36 provides anefiectiveair-seal of the door at the cabinet opening when the door is in closedposition. In the ass mbly of the door, the space enclosed by .the pelsis filled by a heat-insulating material 5| f any suitable type, whichfurther heat-insulates the door.

Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the elementsof which may be altered or modified within the scope of the invention, Inow claim-what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates.

I claim: J

1. In combination, a pair of sheet-like; members having relativelyspaced margins, flanges on said margins disposed in substantiallyparallel adjacence, a resilient gasket comprising a-portion seatedbetween said flanges anda bowl portion projecting beyond the sheetmembers and having I said bead engaging one otsaid flanges'and themargin of one of said sheet members, and means projecting through saidflanges and gasket'portion therebetween, for securement thereof inassembly.

2. In combination, a'p'airof panels having relatively spaced margins,flanges on said marglm .disposed in substantially parallel adjacence, a

resilient gasket structure comprising a chambered portion seated betweensaid flanges and a bead portion projecting beyond said panels, saic ofsaid'flanges am said panels, and panel segasket portion therebetween. 3.In a door structure of the type described, a1

outer metallic panel, inner metallic panels space from said outer panel,means connecting said out er panel to one of said inner panels, theoppose margins of said inner panels being 'relativel spaced and providedwith flanges, and means con necting said inner panels through saidflange. saidmeans including a heat-insulating gasket t a resilient,chambered construction, interpose 3 between said flanges andsecuringmeans extent ing through said flanges and gaskets FRANK n. ram-ma.

door at the cabinet opening. Moreover, the gasket shank 35 together

